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I learned my second most important lesson two years later,
when Milton Bradley circumvented me and released a version
of my game—dare to be different, but protect your inventions.
In 1984, we were granted our patent for the Shumsky
Therapeutic heart pillow, which was the first of many patents
over the years. My mother passed away in 2013 and now I have
a mentor network with different expertise: my board, friends
and family, and colleagues across the globe.
What motivates you in business? In life?
Giving back has been very fulfilling. If you help people (per-
sonally or professionally), good things will happen to you. It’s
how the universe works. Our eight-year-old, Adam, had a recy-
cling project in day camp that the counselors created a compe-
tition around. During the project, Adam told the head coun-
selor that he wasn't doing it for the competition but to “help
the world become a better place by recycling trash.”
What promotional product do you wish you had invented?
I suspect I am one of the few people who can say I invented
the product I wish I had invented. It's a low cost-coupon dis-
penser using the Post It™ note. We developed and patented
many products in a line we now call Outta the Box Dispensers.
Twenty years later, it’s a stand-alone company with more than
$1 million in annual sales.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
To see a third-generation family business survive and thrive is
very rare, and it makes me very proud. Over the past 30 years,
I’ve had the opportunity to branch out from my grandfather’s
Shumsky business with inventions and intellectual property
that have become the cornerstones of Shumsky divisions or
standalone businesses. So long as we continue to stay “differ-
ent” I have no doubt we will grow and expand our businesses,
and we will continue to be very successful. As to future genera-
tions in Shumsky, I guess we will have to wait and see; my son,
Grant, is currently working at SnugZ USA in Salt Lake City,
and I am sure he is getting the industry bug.
Michael and his mother, the late Jayne Emoff-Miller
JULY 2015 •
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